Concert Under the Stars
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: AU Cool night air, upbeat music and two people drawing even closer together after a surprising confession is made that takes the relationship to the next important level. Ed/Donna fluff


**Title: Concert Under the Stars **

**Summary:** AU Cool night air, upbeat music and two people drawing even closer together after a surprising confession is made and pushes the relationship to the next important level. Ed/Donna fluff

**Disclaimer: ** Ah you know write? Ed's with me and well yeah that's about it…lol

**A/N:** Okay yes this is a small break from my very perilous stories haha and my angsty season 5 OS's. Just some fun fluff. So in Sick Day, a concert was mentioned and so this is it. (the other date we'll save for closer to winter hehe) hope you all like it.

And you all should know this by now right? **And remember same AU disclaimer applies in these AU stories of mine for our couple (there is no Sophie and no Hank = no cheating b/c well that is lame!)**

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_'See you tonight…I have a surprise. Ed'_

"Really?" She whispers to herself, her smile not lost on her team three team leader as he approaches.

"You and Ed e-flirting again?" Tom teases Donna as he approaches.

"If you call him being elusive, then sure it's flirting," she shrugs. "I call it…"

"Elusive? Ed? The guy's an open book," Tom smirks, making Donna look at him with arched brows, making his silly smirk disappear. "Or not…okay what's up?"

"I don't know," Donna replies as she turns to leave, "he said it was a surprise."

"Didn't know Ed was spontaneous."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's not…you know…" Tom mentions as he looks up to see Donna watching him with crossed arms.

"No…what?"

"Well I…mean..."

"Asking for it there Tom," Donna warns.

"What's he done now?" Sam teases.

"Just noting how Ed's a spontaneous guy."

"He is?"

"That's what I said."

"Tom…"

Tom merely shakes his head as Sam looks at him in wonder. "Don't ask…" Tom huffs as he turns to Sam to ask how his weekend was.

"Surprise…what kind of surprise?" She muses to herself in an undertone as she gets ready for the day. "Dinner?" She ponders; always loving when Ed would do something spontaneous. He was the first to tell her when they started to seriously date that he would often borrow other's ideas as he wasn't the type to come up with amazing outings for them on the spot.

_'Ed it doesn't matter what we do as long as we are together doing it,' _she had told him to put his mind at ease. That was the truth, he could ask her to come over and sit while he reads the phone book and she'd readily accept; her lips smiling as his sultry tone fills her head.

"Hasta be dinner…we haven't done dinner for a bit now…dinner," she tells herself firmly as Jules enters. "He can arrange dinner."

"Sounds like a serious conversation," she teases her fellow female SRU officer. "One sided?"

"At least I get the answer I want," Donna replies with a smile as she looks at the message on her phone once more and then starts to get ready for the day. "Just something Ed said."

"What was it?"

"A surprise," Donna tells Jules with a small shrug. "So that's what my mind and I were pondering," Donna smiles. "Do you know?"

"Nope. Best bet? Wordy."

"Yeah and he won't tell."

"Ha. No way," Jules snickers. "You'd have better luck finding an alien than getting him to give up Ed like that."

"I'm thinking dinner," Donna nods firmly.

"Dinner's good," Jules agrees as they both just smile and Donna goes back to dressing for the day, looking at a small picture of her and Ed in her locker before her thoughts start to race once more. _Ed…what are you up to?_

"Those the tickets?" Wordy asks Ed as he watches Ed stuff a small brown envelope into his pocket and then take his jacket off and stow it in his locker.

"They are. Hope she likes them. They're an indie band but…and its outside and…do I bring a blanket? A chair? A thermos of…" Ed's voice trails off into a heavy frown as Wordy chuckles. "What? I don't do spontaneous well okay?"

"Trust me…she's going to love it."

"And if she doesn't? Can I blame you?" Ed challenges Wordy directly.

"Sure," Wordy chuckles.

"It's outside."

"The past week has been clear and dry. No snow…no rain…be thankful and just go and enjoy."

"Okay but…"

"If she loves it you know I am gonna say…I told you so," Wordy leans in inches from Ed's face, uttering his words and then pulling back with a smile.

"And if we are rained on?"

"She's still gonna love it but I'll still say I told you so."

Ed thanks his best friend and partner and then continues to get himself ready for the day ahead, his mind, however, thinking about the outing he was going to surprise his girlfriend with and if the weather would behave as he has wished for.

"Let's hope for an easy day," Ed states seconds before Winnie's voice cracks to life overhead, prompting him to merely sigh and shake his head and Wordy to pat him on the back.

"Just let Sam take the kill shot if necessary," Wordy lightly jokes, "that way he'll be with SIU and you can leave."

Ed arches his brows as they hurry for the SUV's but says nothing in return, hoping that the outcome is a peaceful one and that no lives will be taken.

XXXXXXXX

Donna arrives back from her call, wondering if team one was back and if Ed still wanted to do something or just go back to either one of their apartments and watch a movie and just take it easy after a long week and a trying day.

"Team one back yet?" Donna asks Winnie as she passes her desk, en route to the women's change room.

"Got back about half hour ago," Winnie informs her as Donna offers a small 'thank you' and then heads to get changed and go see Ed. They had only been out on one real date as she had teased him with since they both recovered from 'flue-mageddon' as Tom had teased them, so if he hadn't cancelled then she was still game.

_Wonder if we'll go home and change first, _she ponders as she closes her locker, says goodnight to Jules and Rachel and goes in search of her elusive boyfriend.

"All set?" Ed asks as he emerges with a smile and heads directly for her.

"Sure. But we're going like this?"

"Yeah. Is that…okay?"

"Yeah…if you're okay with it."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm guessing not dinner and dancing…because I'm not dressed for it," she tries to guess.

"You look great," he gently shrugs.

"Okay that's not the point."

"You do look great," Ed frowns, not getting the point.

"Right…not even a hint huh."

"It's a surprise," Ed insists as he pushes open the exit door and allows her to walk through ahead of them and then leads them toward his car, the late fall air cool and crisp but Wordy was right; the freak bit of snow they had a few weeks prior was a two day affair, and the past week the weather was dry and sunny during the day. He had heard her talking about the indie band a month ago when it was announced they were coming to Toronto and had basked in her excitement and wanted to share that with her. So with a few tips from Wordy and Shelly he had arranged the rest and now is hoping and praying the weather holds and the night is the success he wants it to be.

"How was your last call?" Ed inquires as they head toward the waterfront, away from the downtown core.

"It was…are we going to…where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"Okay," she replies with a small frown. "Day was fine. Thankfully uneventful. And yours…Ed…"

"Yeah?"

"Echo Beach?"

"Yeah."

"But it's…"

"It's what?" Ed wonders with a hint of nervousness as they approach the water front and he tries to find them parking close to the outdoor concert venue. "Too cold for an…"

"Outdoor concert? Who's playing?"

"Well since we hafta hand over the tickets…" Ed pauses as he pulls out the two small pieces of firmer cardstock and shows her the show they'd be seeing.

"You got tickets…really?" She asks with a happy smile, her question mostly rhetorical. "I wanted to see them."

"I know you did. Ready? I know its outdoors but I came prepared," Ed smiles as they both get out and head around to the back; Ed opening the back and pulling out a thick heavy woolen blanket and a thermos.

"Spiked rum?" She smirks.

"Actually coffee with Bailey's in it. Is that okay?"

"Irish Crème?"

"Of course."

"Better than okay," she beams as she takes the tickets and thermos, Ed carrying the blanket, his arm snaking around her waist. "I'm glad today ended without you having to spend the bulk of the early evening hours with SIU."

"Yeah they're not really my type," Ed teases, earning himself a small smirk from her as they near the entrance. Donna hands the greeter their tickets and happily accepts his 'enjoy the show' as they head into the festive setting. The air was cool and crisp and there were lots of areas for sitting facing the lit up stage area.

"You know I think I like this place better at night."

"The lights you mean?"

"I think it's the smell of cooking onions in the cool night air. Always gets me."

"Really? You want a hot dog for supper?"

"I'm an easy date," she teases as her lips tickle the sensitive skin around his ear lobe.

"Donna," he gently groans as she pulls back, knowing it wasn't really fair to get him aroused in public when they couldn't follow through.

"A loaded hot dog would be perfect."

"Okay I'll be right back with our gourmet dinner," he smiles as he kisses her on the lips and then heads for one of the busy food vendors, leaving her to arrange their spot.

Donna looks around at the people slowly coming through the entrance gates or milling around the same area Ed was now immersed in and smiles. _He remembered I wanted to see this band? I only mentioned it once…like a month ago…_he's a keeper her mind adds. _You don't have to tell me twice. Can I ask him to marry me? _Why not? It's the new millennium – toss tradition out the window.

Now settled on a spot that was dry with the blanket wrapped around and under her, their backs up against one of the large trees lining the top seating area of Echo Beach, Donna watches Ed return with their dinner, smiling as he approaches. During the day his expression was one mostly of worry, concern and diligence toward the job. But after hours, he sported a look that was more casual, relaxed and of course downright handsome.

"Gourmet dinner as promised," Ed grins as he hands her the two steaming hot dogs and then maneuvers himself under the blankets with her, leaning in close; their two frames instantly starting to generate some body heat. "Great spot."

"Now we can see everything and…the bathrooms are right there," she smirks. "Hey in the cold I think bladders are less efficient. Why is that?"

"Don't know but can we talk about it after we are done eating?" Ed teases, making her giggle and nod. Donna pours them a steaming cup of the mildly alcohol spiked coffee to share, her body leaning back against Ed's as he leans up against the tree, thankful it's not damp.

"This is another first," Donna mentions softly as she snuggles in closer to Ed's firm frame.

"What?"

"Outdoor concert here."

"You've never seen a show here?"

"Not with you," she playfully replies as she twists her head and looks up. "What was the last show you saw here?"

"Roy and I came to one."

"How was that?"

"The s_how_ was good," Ed replies with a small frown.

"Right…sorry."

"Don't be. Some brothers are close and us…well we're not."

"Okay," Donna utters softly and then stops, looking away and wondering if she should press the issue or not.

"Donna…"

"No, it's okay Ed if you don't want to talk about it."

"You can ask…I'll try to be…just ask okay."

"What is the main strain between you two?"

"Growing up my father always put more stock into being a beat cop…don't get me wrong he praised Roy too but…but I guess some of the stuff he said always made it seem like my job was better and Roy's was…"

"Less?"

"Roy's always felt less but that's Roy…dad never said that," Ed shrugs. "I don't know what to say to him about it and the few times we are together or have had to work a case we keep the small talk to a minimum and talk work. Better than silence I guess."

"Ever just asked him?"

"Almost afraid to hear the truth," Ed sighs as he casts his glance absently toward the stage, Donna's head slightly twisting to look up at him once more. "What if it wasn't dad? What if it was me?"

"Or what if it's him?"

"Could be."

She notices the small strain and inwardly curses herself for even bringing up such a sore talking point.

"Ed I'm sorry…I just never knew the tension between you two was that stiff."

"Well we don't talk about it either," Ed looks back down at her with a soft frown. "He's just…just Roy and we…we are us. I know it sounds weak but it's all we know. He wanted to work undercover with a few areas because I personally don't think he could handle the everyday rigors of an SRU job. But that's just me, you know? I don't know."

"Well I secretly think he looks up to you."

"You do?"

"I do. I just think he can't admit it. I mean let's face it Ed…sometimes getting you to open up is a monumental task."

"Only sometimes?"

"The rest of the time I'd have to cuff you to a chair and beat the truth out of you."

"Yeah but I like that," he playfully wags his brows, making her smile.

"He might also," she tosses back and he lightly laughs.

"Only if I owed him money."

"Ah but maybe he just can't tell you…maybe he doesn't like to open up either."

"Maybe," Ed agrees softly as his smile slightly droops; forcing her to change the subject before she became the cause of ruining his amazing surprise.

"Okay top me up," Donna holds up the cup for Ed to refill with the warm spiked coffee, the show just about to start. "Thanks."

"I should try harder with Roy," Ed suddenly confesses in a softer tone, making her hand squeeze his.

"You will," she tells him firmly, seconds before his lips plant a warm kiss on her cheek, her head twisting up as her hand snakes behind his head and pulls his mouth back down to hers, her heart racing as fast as her mind as they pull a few inches apart.

"You make me want to do better," he confesses in a tone only she can hear.

_Just tell him already, her inner voice urges. _"That's because…I love you," she whispers in truth, Ed's grasp around her tightening as he smiles and whispers, "I love you too," right back, the start of the concert put on hold a few seconds longer for them as they enjoy the last remnants of a searing kiss. With that heartfelt confession now out in the open, things would continue to blossom into something more serious, a happy ending and a future together something they were both working toward.

They finally settle in to watch the show, Ed's arms lovingly wrapped around her, her body pressed up against his and both of them trying to listen to the music filling the sweet night air; their hearts however, happily contemplating the next steps in their relationship following the heartfelt confession of love.

The first song ends, a cheerful round of applause fills the festive night air before the cheers and chatter die down once more as the second song starts seconds later. As her head rests against Ed's strong chest, her heart keeping time with the comforting rhythm of his; she now starts to ponder what could be done to close the straining gap between Ed and Roy and if she did try to do something would Ed regret it?

Saying I love you to someone wasn't cart blanche to start digging into their personal lives and see what needed to be repaired or fixed. And she knows better than anyone that Ed was more than private about his personal life; the fact that he had confessed as much as he had to her and her alone meant more than she could express to him. He trusted her with his inner familial angst. Would meddling with that strained rift break his trust and force him to regret his decision? _Just play it by ear, _her mind urges and some of her own inner agitation starts to subside. It was just hearing the soft torment in his voice that tugged at her heart and begged her to _want_ to help take his pain away.

"Enjoying the show so far?" Ed inquires as another song comes to a well-received close.

"Best concert yet."

"Better than the Stones last year?"

"How did you know I went?"

"Uh locker talk," Ed gently stammers.

"Meaning I told Tom, Tom told Sam and Sam told you?"

"I might have asked. You know I did notice you before we dated," he counters with a wining grin.

"Ah…good one," she smiles as she leans back against Ed's warm frame once more. "Well…I think I'm gonna go for a walk."

"A walk?" Ed looks at her with arched brows.

"Yes a walk…that way," she whispers as she kisses him briefly on the lips and then pulls away. "Be right back."

Ed watches her head for the bathroom before the first set ends when there will be a stampede and mutters that he was now cooling down, making her chuckle; her golden curls bouncing around her shoulders as she leaves. Her confession of love was something beyond amazing to him, something his own mind had tossed round for some time to admit to her but wasn't sure how she'd react in return. The inner fear always of saying '_I love you' _and not having it returned as heartfelt was something real. He had planned to tell her either tonight after the concert or in the coming week, but tonight was perfect.

_'I love you', _he allows her words to continue to warm his very core. Now their relationship felt real…validated. His mind drifts toward her questions about his strained relationship with Roy. But they had never been close and that was okay to either one of them. Would it really bother her if Roy wasn't included in as many family-type things as she might want? _I could try harder…_Ed mind mulls over as he watches her heading back with a warm smile on her beautiful face.

"Miss me?" She teases with a happy grin as he opens up the blanket to happily accept her back into his cooling cocoon.

"Yeah I was getting cold," he replies with a smile, earning a small head shake from her in return. He pulls out the thermos and they pour the last of the warm contents into the shared cup and each take turns taking sips. The two of them make small talk about the very eclectic crowd around them enjoying the local musical group, from a group of teens to an elderly couple; a few moments later silence starting to build and her mind now wondering if she should broach the Roy topic before the second set of the concert starts up.

"Ed…what I said earlier…about Roy," she starts in a soft tone. "I didn't mean to pry."

"I know," Ed agrees with a small sigh as he leans in closer so that only she could hear, his warm breath tickling his ear. "And you're not. It's just a strained subject, but you can ask…anything."

"My family…my sister we're strained too. She's overseas and we…well we don't see eye to eye on many things."

"Why is that?" Ed inquires gently.

"A few years age difference between us. She's a chef and I'm a cop; we had separate lives growing up and now as adults…we keep it that way. She doesn't likes cops and married an artist and I…. Maybe I get your situation more than you think."

"I guess we have more in common than we thought," Ed ponders.

"Means we're meant to be," Donna utters with a warm smile, her lips automatically curling upward into a soft smile as his told on her tightens. "I like that."

"Me too."

The music starts up a few moments later and Donna feels her inner tension starting to ease. She hadn't thought to stifle the tension by bringing up her own sibling indifference but in doing to showed Ed that they did indeed have one more thing in common. No parents and only a single sibling of the same sex that they weren't close to; the exception being in her corner as her sister physically lived on the other side of the world and Roy was close by.

"This song's my favorite," she offers in truth as her hands start to clap along with the rest of the crowd and their happy mood instantly soars. As soon as the song nears its end, Donna looks around at a few people pulling lighters and then asks Ed for his phone.

"You think a call will be heard over this noise?" Ed asks before he finally looks down to see what she was up to with his phone. "Is that…"

"Yup. There," she hands it back to him, Ed's lips offering a happy chuckle at the 'lighter app' she had downloaded. "Lighters are so last century," she teases as she pulls her phone and shows him her onscreen pink lighter, flicking the phone to open the lighter and then touching the screen to turn it on.

"Well that is a first for sure," Ed shakes his head as he takes his phone, glancing around to see a few others doing the same thing. The two of them join the few thousand around them, waving their phones in the air, the few actual lighters seemingly out of place and the owners earning a few well-placed chuckles.

The song ends with a hearty round of applause, the phones and lighters returned to their original place and the crowd settling back in, this time for a slow song.

"Best surprise in a long time," she confesses with a happy tone as her face presses up against his. "Will be tough to beat."

"Is that a challenge?" Ed's eyebrows playfully wag.

"Maybe," she smirks as his lips near her mouth. "I loved tonight thank you," she tells him in truth as he leans in closer.

"Me too," he adds as his mouth covers her, the two of them lost in the moment of the searing kiss as the world around them blurs; only the music in clear focus. Ed whispers his 'I love you' and his mind already planning his next big surprise – one he hopes will cement their future together by means of a special gift a few heartfelt words.

But at the same time, Donna's mind was already thinking of something _she_ could surprise him with and knowing his affinity for a certain activity in the cold she just hopes the timing is right for their next fun outing.

**THE END!**

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**A/N:** thanks everyone for reading and please do review before you go as it fuels us to add more of these and thanks so much! Not sure how many more in this date series but they should end with something happ(IER) hehe (hmm sorry if that seemed ambiguous but it was) thanks so much!

**Okay so just to recap as a few have asked - here's the order of the date OS's in this AU timeline so far:**

**Friends with Benefits** (eppy OS to 2.03 – they meet in their first casual setting at Wordy's for dinner (he was the friend and the benefit was him setting them up at his place-this one was a personal fave b/c of the inner angst at first meeting hehe)  
**Hockey Night in Canada** (HNIC) – followed up to the first date request at the end of Friends, Ed's tickets to the game  
**No Reservations** – Ed makes good on the bet he lost during HNIC (which team did he bet on? Haha)  
**Sick Day** – 2 weeks after HNIC and set up for Concert Under the Stars (aka flue-mageddon)  
**Concert Under the Stars** – follows sick day (I love you confession)

Really hope this helped those that asked and hope you all enjoyed their romantic relationship progression right from the first meeting :)


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